Video: Doodle3D Prints Designs From 2D Drawings

There's more fun coming our way on the 3D printing news front, as The Netherlands-based tech company FabLab Amersfoort has developed a new device that serves as a sketching tool for creating a 3D-printed object out of a simple 2D doodle. Called Doodle3D, the sketching tool provides users with both an app for creating 2D-based artwork and a WiFi receiver that can be connected to a 3D printer to instantly transmit finished drawings for wireless printing on the fly.

In spite of 3D printing technology becoming more available, folks wanting to test the rapid manufacturing tech are limited by their ability to handle highly complex 3D design programs. The Doodle3D software does away with that by providing users with a simple and intuitive program to create line drawings on an iDevice or computer. Then, by simply pressing the print button, a 3D-extruded version of the 2D sketch is sculpted by your 3D printer of choice.

Doodle3D is an intuitive sketch tool that allows designers of any level to easily 3D print from a simple 2D line drawing. (Source: Kickstarter.com)

The great thing about using such simple software for 3D printing is that it can make creating complex designs even easier. The software allows users to rotate their initial 2D sketch and add volume to their drawings by adding more layers that can be twisted and scaled.

To make things even simpler, Rick Comapnje, inventor of Doodle3D, pioneered the creation of an accompanying WiFi dongle that is used as an intermediate transmitter between the iPad/iPhone/laptop and a 3D printer. Users access the Doodle3D software by connecting to the WiFi box via their Internet browser of choice and can then save or print their doodle by hooking the box up to a printer by way of USB. Currently, the box only supports printers that accept 5D G-CODE over USB ports, but plans are in place to support commercial 3D printers as long as their formats are open-source enough to accommodate.

The team is hoping to land at least $50,000 in support through its Kickstarter campaign. They’ve been honest about still having some kinks to work out before their program is ready for a full release. Nonetheless, the Doodle3D is a promising tool that has the potential of enabling the most novice of designers to create amazing works of art or useful household gadgets.

Charles, it seems that the system does not "just" extrude, but that it offers a bunch of methods to modify as an extrusion is being done. Cones, twists, and tapers seem to be what can be added to the third axis.

What will be made with it?Probably not gears and bearings and other precision stuff. But there are a whole lot of designs that keep most of the details in a single pair of axis and just thickness in that third axis, Probably 5% and quite possibly 10% of designs can be adequately expressed in 2 dimensions and a measurement of thickness for the third. Consider some of our more common machines, such as the classic Bridgeport Mill, which is prinmarily a two-axis system plus thickness. Then consider what all it can produce.

O the other hand, it is quite clear that the media is not given to presise extrusion, so it may be that this is more of a fun type of product. After all, we need fun products and machines as well.

Based on the description, the software takes the 2D drawing and extrudes it through scaling and rotating. So this tool would only be useful for the simplest 3D shapes. Unless the description is not doing the concept justice, you won't be doing any cuts through or extrusions from the original 2D design. Can't imagine much of a market for this, but it's an interesting idea.

Great idea, but I don't understand how it can make a 3D object out of a simple plan view drawing. Doesn't it need a plan view and a couple of elevation drawings to get the full sense of what the 3D object is supposed to look like?

Virtual Reality (VR) headsets are getting ready to explode onto the market and it appears all the heavy tech companies are trying to out-develop one another with better features than their competition. Fledgling start-up Vrvana has joined the fray.

A Tokyo company, Miraisens Inc., has unveiled a device that allows users to move virtual 3D objects around and "feel" them via a vibration sensor. The device has many applications within the gaming, medical, and 3D-printing industries.

While every company might have their own solution for PLM, Aras Innovator 10 intends to make PLM easier for all company sizes through its customization. The program is also not resource intensive, which allows it to be appropriated for any use. Some have even linked it to the Raspberry Pi.

solidThinking updated its Inspire program with a multitude of features to expedite the conception and prototype process. The latest version lets users blend design with engineering and manufacturing constraints to produce the cheapest, most efficient design before production.

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